How to Permanently Delete Files from Computer Without Recovery Windows 11/10/8/7

Deleted files can often be recovered by using a professional data recovery tool, and that's a problem when you're passing your PC or PC-related tech along to someone else. Whether it's sensitive financial data, business documents, or scandalous photos that could be used to blackmail you. You probably don't want people getting their hands on your private stuff.

So most computer users want to know how to permanently delete files from computer without recovery. This operation is effortless to implement. Follow this guide and learn how to permanently delete files on PC or laptop and protect your data, whether you're getting rid of a computer, external hard drive, or USB stick. 

When you delete a file from your computer with the basic delete feature, Shit+Delete keys, emptying the Recycle Bin, or even format a hard drive, it continues existing on your hard drive and allows users to recover files for some purpose.

How do you permanently delete files so they cannot be recovered?  

To delete files permanently from PC or laptop without recovery, you need to wipe and erase your computer. In this way, permanently deleted data can no longer be recovered. Windows doesn't offer a built-in tool that can scan and wipe your hard drive for deleted files, but there is a wide variety of third-party software you can choose from. 

EaseUS BitWiper provides a "File Shredder" feature to erase all disk data permanently in Windows 11/10/8/7. It can help you completely erase all of the data and partitions on your hard disk with solutions that meet DoD 5220.22-M Wiping Standard. 

EaseUS BitWiper supports many basic and advanced hard drive management functions.

Tip: The wipe disk operations cannot be undone after applying the changes.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS BitWiper and click "File Shredder".

Step 2. Click "Add Files" to select the files you need to shred, or you can drag files, documents, images, music files, etc., into the center area.

Step 3. Re-select files that you need to shred and click "Shred" to confirm.

Step 4. The program will immediately shred all the selected files. When it finishes, click "Done".

EaseUS partition and disk wipe software allow you to wipe the hard drive multiple times. Generally, after two erases, your data will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered anymore.

How to Make Sure Deleted Files Can't Be Recovered

If you want to check whether the file is deleted permanently from your computer, you can test it with a technical data recovery program - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard. It is a reliable tool that you can use to scan and restore any lost file due to careless deletion, hard drive formatting, OS crash, virus attack, partition loss.

But this software, as well as all the data recovery software on the market, can't recover wiped, erased, or overwritten files. So, by using this application, you can easily check if the file you have deleted is permanently missing.

Step 1. Select the location to scan

Choose the specific device and drive where you have permanently deleted files using Shift delete or emptying recycle bin. Then, click the "Scan" button to find lost files.

Step 2. Check the results

The software will automatically start scanning all over the selected drive. When the scan completes, select the "Deleted Files" and "Other Lost Files" folders in the left panel. Then, apply the "Filter" feature or click the "Search files or folders" button to quickly find the deleted files.

Step 3. Recover deleted files

Select the deleted files and click "Preview". Next, click "Recover" to save them to another secure location or device.

What kind of data cannot be recovered?

Erased data. Once the wipe operation is carried out, the files will not be recovered by any data recovery software. If the number of times to wipe the hard disk is set to 10, the data will never be recovered by any data recovery solution.

Overwritten data. After data loss, you continue to use the hard drive or storage device and write new data over the old one. Strictly speaking, it is impossible to recover overwritten files. 

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More Tips on How to Permanently Delete Files from Computer

Read more tutorials about permanently deleting files without recovery.

1. How do you permanently delete a file without sending it to the recycle bin?

By default, when you delete a file, it will go to the Recycle Bin on your computer. From there, you can restore the deleted files in case that you've removed something mistakenly. If you want to delete your files that bypass the Recycle Bin permanently, do it in the following way.

• Right-click on the Recycle Bin and choose "Properties". 
• Select the drive for which you want to delete the data permanently. Check the option "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted." Then, click "Apply" and "OK" to save the settings.

If you want to revert to default, you can complete it via unchecking this feature easily.

2. How to delete files permanently without recovery Android?

Same as deleting files on your computer, when you delete files on your Android phone, the files aren't gone permanently. If you want, you can use the ultimate Android data recovery software to restore lost contact, SMS, photo, video, audio, or document.

Thereby, to permanently delete photos or videos without recovery on an Android phone, you can find some free and reliable Android apps, such as Secure Delete, Secure Wipe, Secure Eraser, and more.

3. How to format a hard drive so no data can be recovered?

The formatted hard drive is still recoverable. If you need thoroughly delete files from a computer without recovery, formatting isn't the best way. As mentioned before, we can recover files formatted hard drive with a file recovery tool. Therefore, you can only choose to erase data so that it cannot be recovered.

Also read: How to format a hard drive partition for free 

4. How to permanently delete files shortcut?

• Use Directory Structure. Go to the local directory path and find Desktop. Find the shortcut and right-click on it to remove it. Or press Shift+Delete to delete files shortcut permanently.
• Rename the shortcut if you see an error such as file name too long. If this doesn't work, use a wipe tool to clean.
• Boot your computer in Safe Mode to delete files shortcut.